Chapter 2
ASGARD
This was a society wedding. All of the various dignitaries, leaders, and members of the aristocracy had been invited. Some arrived via ship but most were transported by BiFrost. The wedding was still more than a week away. But with this kind of wedding, it was expected for nightly feasts and political mingling to lead up to the main event.
Sigyn maintained her elven mask of cool politeness. She was aware that Basil and his brothers were all attending as well. They were firmly committed to act as her escorts and guards, strategically positioned to not make it terribly obvious their purpose.
Sif came to stand next to her, looked a tad stiff and uncomfortable. The pair of them were not friends. But that was moreso because of Sif’s prior actions against Loki and not because of anything that she had done to Sigyn.
The brunette frowned in confusion. “Why are they here so early?”
“Unfamiliar with a society event?” Sif’s eyes moved in Sigyn’s direction, her frown deepening. Murmuring quietly. “This is not really about the marriage. It is a contest. Who received their invitations first? Look at my dress, I wear the latest fashion. Are I not beautiful? See my new husband? What seat have they been granted, in relation to the King? There are those that will be here to secure sly deals with one another. Others to exchange the latest gossip. Then there are the gluttons who are here for free food, board, and spirits.” Sigyn sipped the glass of water in her hand. “Those that arrive the day before the wedding are typically interested in the event itself. Those that arrive now…it is the upper crust on parade.”
Sif’s eyes widened and her jaw almost dropped. She had never heard anyone say anything that bluntly and yet with a voice and expression as if she were murmuring compliments.
“Still envious?” Sigyn’s question was mostly curious. She knew at least a tiny bit of Sif’s prior attitude problem had to do with envy of Loki.
A harsh whisper, “Are you serious? They have nothing better to do?”
The elven queen slowly nodded once. “They all have their purposes, but when they are not fulfilling them a large portion of their time is in pursuit of selfish whims.”
Sif sputtered and she wasn’t particularly quiet about it. “What about their family? Surely some have that.”
It was a point, but only a small one. “Most if not all of them do. And occasionally they will dust them off, put them in fancy clothes, and parade them for all to see.” Sif flinched. Sigyn cocked an eyebrow. “To them, the correct spouse and obedient children are…”
Anya muttered almost under her breath as she appeared between them. “The final accessory of an outfit.” She had been Loki’s personal servant for a very long time. But she was much more than that. A best friend that Loki had taken under his wing to teach some of the finer points in being a trickster…in addition to educating her on politics. She was fiercely loyal. A loyalty that she extended to his family.
Because of that friendship, neither Sigyn nor the children treated Anya like a servant. Sigyn paused but then nodded. “You are not wrong.” Sif grimaced.
At one time, Sif had been Thor’s unannounced betrothed. But Sif had messed things up royally and Thor made it clear to his father he wouldn’t marry her. Currently Thor, who was on a balcony not too far away, was courting Veilya. Sigyn hoped that Odin kept his word and let the pair marry when the time came. He might be in for a nasty surprise if he thought that Thor would remain biddable if he didn’t allow their union.
Sif had thought that was what she wanted. And for a time the thought of that much power had gone to her head. She’d learned much since then. Learning yet another less than desirable side of the aristocracy left her thankful this was no longer her path. With the regaining of her honor she was doing her utmost to fulfill her duties as one of Thor’s warrior companions.
Anya reported, “The children are all being entertained. Is there a preference as to which wing the humans are housed?”
Sigyn replied lightly. “Let Tony have a room in our wing. Bruce Banner as well. The others will be based on their own merit. Loki knows them better than I do.”
Anya nodded and went to get everything arranged. Currently Tony was the only one from Earth here. But there were several rsvp’s so more were to come.
Loki had taken his mother’s advice. Each new influx of people were evaluated by him. Because of that, it didn’t escape his notice that there were a few guests who hadn’t been invited. The way Odin had stiffened told Loki it wasn’t an expected visit. Five of them wouldn’t be a concern. Eight might be suspicious. That all fifteen were here stated without words that the Inter-realm Council was about to levy a judgement against Asgard.
He suspected he knew why. Which explained why his mother was concerned. Just as he could guess where this was going. But as one of the members passed Loki locked eyes with him. Meythew. The other man froze for a heartbeat until Loki lifted an eyebrow. A nod was the response before he continued to follow the rest of them.
Tony had been one of the first to arrive. Pepper was watching over the company and would arrive closer to the actual wedding day. So, being bored, the inventor had pretty much been following the mage around like a duckling. “Okay, dude, this is—what’s up?”
Loki didn’t glance at him, his gaze distant. “Hmm?”
Nudging the taller man with a finger. “Don’t even try it. Nothing that puts that look on your face is a good thing.”
Lifting an eyebrow. “Pre-wedding jitters?”
Stark’s face contorted. Even an oblivious idiot, and that included Aesir idiots, knew that Loki and Sigyn had a love that was breathtaking. “Pbbfft. Please. This may be Ass-gard but the morons here haven’t sucked out my smarts yet.” Not even an amused snort from Loki. Tony knew this was bad. “Give me some credit, Locks. You’d only have jitters if you had to seal the deal in front of the audience.”
Loki gave him a Look.
After blinking innocently Tony asked, “What?”
The mage’s face contorted. “Cease being ridiculous.”
Tony threw him a Look in return. “Elves have naked weddings. Not really a stretch to have sex on the throne—”
Loki slapped a hand over his mouth. “Stop.” Then leaning in to whisper, “You recall I considered humans to be lesser beings? Acting this uncouth will not change that opinion for everyone else.” He let Tony go, but the inventor just kept staring at him. He knew the other man was too clever at times. But he wasn’t going to explain what was concerning him in public. “A discussion for later.”
Tony nodded silently and wandered off to bug Tyr, who seemed to be the most even tempered of the warriors.
Loki and Sigyn locked gazes. Whatever she saw there had her ignoring whoever she was talking to and crossing the distance. “Loki?”
Pulling her in close, whispering so quietly only an elf this close could hear him. “The Inter-realm Council is here.”
Sigyn stiffened in surprise. “All of them?”
“Mmhmm.”
She was clever. She had to be to keep up with Loki. She pulled back a fraction, alarm in her deep blue eyes. “You think this is about…”
He tilted his head a bit. “Not certain.”
“They would not dare.” She growled the words, fury and power flashing in her eyes.
His own expression was grim. “We are both agreed if they go that far?”
Her blue eyes flinted. “We are.”
Loki leaned down just enough to kiss the back of her hand. “I will speak with Meythew.”
***
Meythew was the only son of a well-off family. He had no interest in starting a family or settling down. He was Vanaheim’s mage, one of the deciding members of the Guild…and one of the fifteen of the Inter-realm Council. Which was not unusual. At most the universe had 5 mages in existence at the same time. As the most magically powerful caste, it made sense for politically minded groups to desire the kind of power a mage represented among their ranks.
He was an extremely handsome man, and he knew it. His smile was devastating. His skin a rich bronze color, short black hair and facial hair cut closely to his face. He took little personally and had a rather relaxed perspective in life.
He opened the door to the guest quarters he was assigned and invited Loki in, Abyss sitting on the prince’s shoulder. They both sat in the entry parlor and got comfortable. Abyss moved to Loki’s lap. Drinks were offered but Loki politely declined.
Loki lifted an eyebrow. “Small talk first or shall I come right to it?”
The Vanir looked both intrigued and amused. “No time like the present.”
If it was a bluff, it was a poor one. “Why is the Inter-realm Council, in its entirety, here?”
Meythew made a choking sound, looking surprised. “I thought your brother was the blunt one.”
A simple shrug from Loki, still watching the other man. “Bad habit I picked up from him, I suppose.”
A nod before Meythew chose a course. “Then I shall respond in kind. Your realm has made some bad decisions regarding Midgard and it has caused notice.”
Which Loki knew. Their interference regarding Robert Wilson and Amora could be justified. What happened before it with Thor and himself was not so easy to ignore. “And the outcome?”
He tried to say, “It has not been decided yet—”
Loki cut him off, looking annoyed. “Meythew. I am not naive. Society wedding or not, you would not all come here if you had any doubt about a decision.” This was not the time to placate him. He needed to know the damage so he could try to mitigate it.
Meythew grimaced. He forgot he was talking to a wordsmith who was very familiar with politics. “An official sanction is the current thought, to sever ties with the residents.”
Mulling over the phrase. “With the residents. That is the exact verbiage?”
“I noticed the human here. Some of the others probably have as well.” An observation from Meythew that was also a warning. Then he grimaced, “You know how some of them are.” He didn’t have a real issue with anyone. That was not necessarily how the rest of the Inter-realm Council felt.
Loki was all too aware of how many people across several realms felt about mortals, not just humans. The term lesser being was one he’d picked up from his father as a child, but Odin wasn’t the only one who felt that way about mortals. “I think before this gets out of hand we need to have a meeting.”
Meythew frowned. “We are meeting.”
A shake of his head. “Not the two of us. I mean the members of the Guild.”
The Vanir’s confusion remained. “Why would the Guild need to get involved?”
They both knew he meant the magical guild. It wasn’t a governing body. Anyone with the ability in seidr was technically a member, and therefore under Guild protection. That was why it was created, to ensure that what happened during Bori’s reign could never happen again. It may not be a political group but since it was comprised of all the magical castes including the strongest, it was far from toothless.
Loki sighed. He wasn’t one to put all of his cards on the table. At least not without cause. This time it would be beneficial, so Meythew would know of at least one outcome. “I am not one to crave battle. I leave that to Thor and his ilk.” Loki leaned forward, his expression turning serious as his eyes started to burn emerald. “But if the Inter-realm Council attempts to force me to sever my human ties, there will be a war. And I will be at the head of it.”
Meythew swallowed. He knew those weren’t idle words. He’d also heard a few things. For centuries now he’d had a healthy respect for Loki’s intelligence. But recently he’d heard a rumor that Loki may have moved from just being a trickster into a serious threat. The fact that the man now had a familiar was proof enough. “A meeting sounds like a grand idea.”
Relaxing once more. “Mmm, I thought so.”
The Vanir paused, before he grimaced. What Loki wished to discuss wasn’t the only reason he’d agreed to this meeting. “There is something further I wanted to bring to your attention.”
“That being?” Loki invited.
Taking the plunge, “Jaya was murdered recently.”
Loki stiffened in shock. “What?”
Abyss growled.
Meythew nodded. “Her body was discovered in Blackthorn’s home.” Emerald flashed in Loki’s eyes. “He was in a Senate meeting the entire day. It was not him.”
That wasn’t where Loki’s mind had gone. “His wife?”
“Missing.”
“How convenient,” he snarled. Then he frowned at Meythew. “Why were you made aware of it?” It wasn’t normal for Alfheim to reach out to someone of prominence on Vanaheim…or anywhere else for that matter. The elven preferred to keep their troubles very quiet.
Meythew grimaced. “There was something magically odd. They want a seeming cast.” A pause. “Your name was mentioned. Casually.” Carefully would be a better word.
Anyone from the caste of witch and higher could perform a seeming. A seeming could reveal what was hidden, whether that be spells that conceal a crime, fingerprints that were magically removed, etc. If more than a day had past, it would be difficult for any caste to pull a clear result. The more time that had passed, the higher the caste to achieve reliable results. “Casually? Why not just request my aid?”
Pulling a face. “Would Alfheim wish to be beholden to Asgard?”
Loki grimaced as well. He was a prince, not just a mage. Sighing, “Politics.”
Meythew nodded. “I gathered that.”
Rubbing his hands together. “Well then, perhaps I can assist in this now and request a Guild meeting for later today.”
“Two is better than one.” Meythew briefly left to send off the requests for a Guild meeting and to notify Alfheim they were on their way. Hopefully there were enough committee members available or it might have to be postponed a day or so. Meythew returned and gave Loki a strange look, it occurring to him while he was gone. “You already know it was her. Why?”
Waving a dismissive hand. “We will sneak over to Alfheim, and on the way I will give you my measure of her character.”
***
ALFHEIM
The image was not of Jaya. It was a misty shadow of her general body shape. But it was her voice. That’s the only reason Loki knew she was the one conveying the message.
"Loki. Or if this is not you, I wish that whoever sees this will pass on what I am about to say. It was Holly. I do not know how, but it was fast acting.” The tone wavered, now seemingly talking to herself, “I knew she was…I never thought…how stupid am I? My own…I should have seen it coming.” A pause before the emotions faded from her tone. “I apologize, my thoughts are not focused.” A sigh. “There is no time to say everything I need to…warning. You must warn Loki and Et’ana Sigyn that Holly is a threat. A serious one. She wants to destroy the Whisper on the Wind. The Senate would not dispand them, so she wanted to utilize the Et’ana’s power to wage war on them. With that failed I do not know what she will do. Be wary of her. And our mother. Holly is not the only one that the Wind felt lacked a sufficient moral center…”
As the image faded Meythew was as pale as his skin tone allowed and looked on the verge of being physically ill. Loki’s expression was blank, his arms crossed as he tapped a finger on his bicep.
Abyss was sitting to one side, watching.
Performing the seeming is what had led to the realization that there was something else here to be found. Their combined skill had been needed to coax the message that Jaya had left to the surface. Any individual attempts had left presence with no sound. And each new try the image had been more faded than the previous.
It had been a theory of Jaya’s that had never been put to the test. That power could in someway be wrapped around a message and preserved. Loki and she had debated the possibilities of it since magic faded with the death of the caster, but never found the time to put it to the test. He swallowed. It worked…but he hated that this was the way she had been proven right.
Meythew wasn’t sickly for what the message entailed. He’d been this way ever since they’d arrived. Preservation spells had been used to keep Jaya’s body maintained for their arrival. Sometimes for a seeming to work properly, the shell had to be present as a focal point. But it was obvious that Meythew wasn’t used to being around the dead. “This is just…you know what she did.” She, being Holly.
A short nod from Loki, his mind turned inward. “Yes. To her own sister, no less.”
Hoarsely Meythew whispered, “What?” He hadn’t processed enough to make the connection.
Confirming, “Jaya and Holly were sisters.”
“What is your assessment, Prince Loki?” The elven woman who asked the question was in the typical attire for those that kept the peace in a particular community they were assigned to. Light colors, clean lines, nothing flowing. Her face was blank, her attention fixed on him.
“We both know what happened. Are you asking for a written accounting or the cause.”
A hint of a furrow started and then smoothed. To indicate frustration. “The cause. We were unable to determine it.”
Loki thought back over the seeming, which allowed them to see the few minutes that led up to Jaya’s death. He thought aloud as he spoke, “She had something small in her hand from the bureau.” And since elves didn’t really have jewelry, it might have been something as inconsequential as a leaf or a twig. “A small scratch. Nothing that would on its own cause damage. It was what startled Jaya. Minimal contact to administer a trace amount. Seven seconds. Not even as a mage was she powerful enough to burn through it before she was incapacitated. Two minutes to death…there is only one thing it could be. The venom of an Ig worm.”
Both the elf and Meythew chorused, “A what?”
Blinking, Loki glanced from one to the other. He expected Meythew not to know, but that the light elf was equally ignorant was surprising. “They populate the second moon of Alfheim. Arise from hibernation once every 350 years. Moss, a Faeling I am friends with, warned me of them years ago since non-Fae bodies are this worm’s preferred burrow.” Meyhew turned green.
The woman started writing something down. “Why?”
A small shrug after a quick glance at the Vanir mage. “I assume a food source for when they hatch from inside their new home.”
Meyhew ran outside and was sick in the closest potted plant.
‘Mean, Loki,’ Abyss chided.
Loki sighed but it needed to be said. The other man wasn’t a warrior. He would have been queasy and sickly for days otherwise.
Raising an eyebrow at the elf. “In the future, if you need a seeming of this nature present my mate Sigyn with the request.” She would be able to let Loki know Alfheim needed aid without politics getting in the middle of it. His eyes flicked in Meythew’s general direction. “Or at least someone who has dealt with death.” Glancing at the familiar. “You would prefer he suffered in that state of quasi-nausea for days on end? Who is the mean one?”
Abyss looked insolent before he started to groom himself.
The elf didn’t comment, asking a very good question, “Where would she get her hands on that?”
“More to the point, why would a house that has a member of the Senate and a homemaker have it?” A slight shift in topic. “Did you find her tea supplies?”
“Not an herb remaining.” Loki nodded. The elf did as well. Another light elf joined the conversation, a male elf who worked as a liaison of sorts between different communities and the Senate. He’d seen the report Loki had submitted regarding the tea. The ingredients as well as the effects. “We will inform the Senate.”
Loki nodded thoughtfully. “You may try her mother’s home.”
“Her mother?”
He doubted it would bear much fruit but it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on her. “The message mentioned her. The pair of them are cut from the same pattern apparently. It might be worth investigating.” And if they found the mother, he would know who she was.
The two elves shared a glance. Loki suppressed a slight grin. They were a mated pair. He was sure of it, though he couldn’t exactly explain how he knew. Perhaps the way they leaned slightly towards one another. The lingering of a shared gaze that was full of heat and understanding, not longing. The slightest movement towards her middle with his hand. “We shall.”
Requesting, “Do warn the Senate to report in full to the Et’ana about this matter.”
“The Et’ana?”
“Holly has some dangerous aspirations. I expect that she…” Or more to the point, that he, “…would be warned if anything new develops.”
“We would not wish any harm to come to the Et’ana.” Which basically meant even if the Senate said nothing, that the pair of them would keep him updated.
“A woman who is brutal enough to watch her own sister die and that has that sort of poison on hand is not to be trusted or underestimated. Be wary.” Loki flicked his attention down just enough to get his point across, even if it was a warning gesture so quick it was easy to miss. The woman nodded ever so slightly, understanding the subtle warning to protect the precious cargo she currently carried in her womb.
Loki turned his attention to stare at the spot where Jaya had died. He wasn’t as close to Jaya as he was to Tony, but the anger he could feel growing within him wasn’t because of a loss of an acquaintance or friend. It was an elemental anger. Holly had no qualms in destroying a mage, one of his own. “Two years ago there were five mages. Today, there are only three remaining.” Amora didn’t count. Holly had also tried to abduct his daughter through her husband. He didn’t weigh his words before speaking as his voice deepened. “I wish you happy hunting.” Once found she would be taken before the Senate, tried, and given a swift execution. A snarl entered his voice. “If I find her before you do, I will subject her to the most cruel of punishments for an elf…and shall enjoy her tormented screams until the end of all things.”
The elven pair shivered.
***
SPACE STATION OUTSIDE THE NINE
It would be impossible for all members of the Guild to attend a meeting. There were simply too many over all of the Nine and beyond. But there were a few of the most influential from each of the castes in attendance. They chose neutral ground, a meeting room within a space station outside of the Nine.
Tony was standing next to Loki. Sigyn, Faurete, and Willow were there as well. Abyss was on his shoulder. The House Fairy that accompanied Faurete everywhere, was sitting on her head. Currently their group was waiting for the elevator to take them to the level of the small room that had been scheduled for this meeting.
Tony was looking around with a grimace on his face. “Do I want to think about how close this place is to Earth, but we never noticed it?”
The corner of Loki’s mouth twitched. “Probably not.”
Frowning. “Why is that? Even my satellites didn’t pick it up.”
Rolling his eyes a bit, sounding droll. “Not every race is resistant to utilizing seidr to ward off technology.”
Holding up a pausing finger. “Wait. I thought you couldn’t mesh the two.”
Loki gave the inventor a strange glance. “When did I ever utter that?” Tony’s brow started to furrow. “Do you not recall the firewall I built magically around JARVIS?”
Waving a dismissive hand a second later. “Yeah…I try not to think about your fairy dust near my tech.”
Loki shook his head in exasperation. “Ridiculous mortal.”
Tony jumped slightly as if reminded of something. “Oh, we need to talk later.”
“Or now?”
A shake of his head. “Nope.”
It was plain to see that Tony was puzzled about something. Apparently something he felt comfortable talking to the trickster about but no one else. “Very well.”
The door slowly slid open, accompanied by a groan of a noise. Tony voted. “Stairs?”
Sigyn shook her head. “There are none.”
Grimacing, everyone stepped in. The doors were very slow to respond. The lift would take them to the appropriate level, but they all suspected it would take a while.
“Do you plan to attend the wedding as you are?” The question was poised from Loki to Faurete.
Faurete didn’t take offense, spotting the distraction tactic. “I plan to return to Asgard as I am…though I suppose I shall change shape for the actual ceremony.”
He smirked a bit in approval. “Clever of you, since not many will know you in this form.”
She winked. “Exactly.” Loki blinked at her. Jötunn didn’t do that. The slight amusement pulling at the corner of her mouth said she picked it up from him. Then her voice filled with warning, “Angrboda is going to be annoyed that you did not invite her to this.”
He shrugged a single shoulder, the one not occupied by Abyss. “I could not see her wishing to attend without her mate.”
Faurete looked at him in surprise. “What is wrong with Eggpér?” The man was very quiet. What could he possibly have done to cause Loki to wish to avoid him?
The mage raised his hand and brushed his fingers along the ceiling of the lift. “Eggpér is 12 feet tall. There is nowhere here that he could comfortably stand. Based upon my experience with individuals that are exceptionally tall or broad, tight enclosed spaces are not a good combination.”
The Jötunn Queen could connect dots just as quickly as her sibling when required. “Your brother is claustrophobic?”
It didn’t cause panic attacks in Thor. Not like being around snakes did. But he was a very grumpy and agitated thunderer is such a situation. Loki grinned before holding a finger to his lips. “Shh…family secret.”
A twitch of a smile. “As you say. A family secret.”
But then Loki frowned. “She will still attend the wedding, will she not?” He was hoping Angrboda wasn’t too offended. She was fun, and no doubt her inclusion would stir up some nice chaos.
“She will not miss it,” Faurete reassured.
“You’re a Queen, right?” Tony’s question caused looks to be exchanged.
“…here we go…”, Loki muttered.
Tony whined, “What??”
Faurete ignored the strange interactions between the pair. “Yes. I am.”
“What do you do with entitled assholes on popsicle world?”
She blinked at him. Paused. Then her entire face formed a frown. “On what?”
Loki gave a pained sigh. “Just go with it. He refuses to give anything a proper label.”
Tony grinned breezily. “It’s part of my charm. Right, Locks?”
Mumbling and glanced down. “I would not go that far.”
Faurete decided to answer the strange question. “We do not have such individuals on Jötunheim.”
Tony scoffed. “Oh come on. There’s assholes everywhere.” Pointing at the trickster. “He’s an asshole, but the good kind.”
Willow glanced at Sigyn. “There is a good kind?” Sigyn silently shrugged.
Loki purred softly in return. “As are you, Anthony.” A purr that was his warning he was getting irritated.
Stark shrugged, unoffended. “Never said otherwise.”
Faurete shook herself a bit. “I would not say entitled. That word implies my people have more than we do. However. There were a few Jötunn who remained dedicated to following Laufey’s memory. With him gone, they would have much preferred to follow Helblindi or Byleistr as the next ruler.”
Tony glanced between the two of them. “Who are H and B?”
“My elder brothers. They were recognized by Laufey, raised by him to a certain extent, and these few people saw them as Laufey’s rightful successors.”
Sigyn blinked in surprise. “They wanted to change the Jötunn ceremony of succession.”
To be the ruler of Jötunheim was a series of tests within a ceremony including a fight to the death. Faurete looked a bit amused. “They would have preferred Helblindi or Byleistr had the balls to fight. When that did not happen, they bemoaned the fact that I did.”
Willow pursed her lips thoughtfully. “You got rid of them?”
Faurete didn’t answer, but the silence was an answer.
Tony whistled. “Harsh.”
She made no apologies for following a Jötunn tradition. “Why? It would be either them or me. Why would I wait for their assassination attempt to act?”
Stark leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “You don’t know they would have done that.”
She looked amused now. “I gather on Midgard matters are different.”
“Yeah. Er, okay, usually there’s other ways to get people like that out of the way without killing them.”
“That is not Jötunheim.” The people were at times a reflection of Jötunheim itself. Warm bloods might have the time to waste, her people didn’t. Politics could be messy enough. No need to compound the problem internally.
“Jail?”
Faurete frowned.
Sigyn elaborated, “He means imprisonment.”
“We do not have imprisonment.” How could they? A Jötunn did not have to be born with magic to have control over ice. There was no where to imprison a Jötunn that could not be escaped.
Tony looked a bit skeptical. “There’s no crime?”
“I did not say that. I said we do not imprison.”
Sigyn chimed in. “Neither does Alfheim. Some realms have found other ways to deal with individuals who do not maintain the laws.”
He looked between the two ladies. “Do I want to know?”
Willow patted him on the head. “Live in ignorance on this fact.”
Tony made a face. “I hate that word.”
Loki sighed. “I will explain later over sufficient alcohol.”
A shrug and Tony let it go for now. “Fine. So, why would anybody be stupid enough to announce something that could get them killed?”
Faurete gave the question serious thought. “Some think they are, if not invincible, at least sufficiently powerful and protected from reprisals.” Then giving him some context. “I am Queen until my death. Their support of Laufey was made long ago. If they did not act, it would be an insult to the memory of Laufey. Their clan would lose respect for them. They would have no choice.” Thankfully most of those clans were destroyed when Loki turned Asgard’s BiFrost upon them during Thor’s exile to Earth. There were really only a couple of small messes for her to deal with. “With them gone, those clans have new heads who will either follow in the footsteps of their forefathers… or take their clans in a new direction.”
“And…if they follow what their dads’ wanted?”
She would have killed them as well. Luckly that wasn’t an issue. “They have placed their support behind my rule so it is no longer a concern.”
Tony frowned. “What if it’s a lie?”
Faurete tutted. “That is not our way. There are too few of us left for such games. Once a clan position is made, it is maintained until it is officially retracted.”
The only Jötunn in recent memory who delved into such games of dishonesty had been Laufey. It was one of the reasons she was supported as strongly as she was. Her word was her bond. With Helblindi and Byleistr, being raised by Laufey, there was concern they would follow in Laufey’s deceptive footsteps.
They arrived and the door slid open.